


Little Antique Toy Shop

by for_the_love_of_wolves



Series: AoS Advent Fics 2019 [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Awkwardness, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:02:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21735727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_the_love_of_wolves/pseuds/for_the_love_of_wolves
Summary: Jemma works part-time in an antique toy shop. Barely anyone ever finds the little shop and so she has a lot of time to read her textbooks at work. But every second or third day, a young man comes into the shop. He stays for a while but never buys anything. Jemma wonders ... (Written for the prompt: I work at a toy store and you keep coming in but never buy anything)
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Series: AoS Advent Fics 2019 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559647
Comments: 7
Kudos: 28





	Little Antique Toy Shop

There he is again.

The young man is standing in front of the shelf with the tin soldiers, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jacket, his head slightly lowered so she can’t see his face. He’s lanky and his curls are a bit too long and messy. Once, she got a glimpse of his eyes and they were remarkably blue. His clothes are plain. Actually, he looks a bit like he belongs into this antique shop with its back-alley vibe.

Jemma frowns and returns her focus to the book she’s reading. He didn’t say hello. Again …

Jemma is working at this antique toy shop because she’s fascinated by the stories behind each thing in here and because she can read her textbooks without being disturbed too often. Barely anyone ever comes into the store that lies hidden in a corner, right between a modern coffee shop that’s a hotspot for all the young people and a cheap supermarket that is always crowded. 

But this guy … For some reason, he comes every second or third day. And he never buys anything.

He just enters, barely looks at her and never greets her. He walks here and there with slow, barely audible steps, his hands often folded on his back, like he wants to show her he is not going to touch anything precious. After a few moments, he disappears as quiet and sudden as he appeared.

It’s strange. _He_ is.

But at the same time, there’s something about him, that is intriguing. Jemma wanted to talk to him a few times – asking him what he was searching for, if he is searching at all – but she never could muster the courage. She has always been a bit shy. And in the last time, she has made a lot of unpleasant experiences with people … Her best friend Susan has abandoned her after Jemma has told her a guy – Milton. Ugh. – wasn’t good for her. Susan ignores Jemma now, whenever they meet. Also, she has been trying to make other people avoid Jemma too. It’s not nice. And she’s trying to avoid them all now, spending more time here, in the soothing calm company of all the old toys and things. They are silent at least. 

But now this strange young man comes here regularly, and Jemma really would like to _know_ , what’s his problem or goal or whatever.

One day, she will ask him.  
  


* * *

 _Today. Today I’m going to talk to her_.

Fitz has never felt so sure before he entered the little toy shop like he does today. He found it two weeks ago, when it was raining cats and dogs and he tried to find shelter, to prevent all the books in his bag being soaked. He found this shop and when he opened the door, he wanted to say hello, but when he saw the young woman at the counter, the words got stuck in his throat. She was breath-taking and made him forget every word he’d ever known. He spent a few moments in the shop, pretending to search for something, and then he left, his heart pounding. He knew he was acting like a total idiot and told himself to never go back there.

But he did. Something pulled him towards the shop. Towards … Her. It was strange and probably stupid. He went there anyway. She was there again, talking to someone. Her voice was bright and clear and her laughter … It did a lot to him. It made him feel warm inside. Suddenly, he asked himself, if she would agree to have a coffee with him. He wanted to know everything about her. Seeing her made his days a little bit brighter somehow. Fitz knows exactly he's awkward with people. He doesn't have friends - at least he wouldn't call anyone he knows his friend - and sometimes, he wishes he had someone he could talk to without feeling stupid and being scared of doing or saying something wrong all the time. For some reason, he really wants to know this young woman who always hides her face behind a thick book better ...

He prepared words. In front of his mirror at home. He looked kind of ridiculous while forming the words, trying to make them sound as natural as possible.

_I’m going to talk to her, I can do this, I’m …_

She looks up from her book and frowns.

Fitz’s stomach drops.

Bloody hell. He’s so _not_ going to talk to her …

Fitz focuses on a few tiny tin soldiers in front of him, feeling his ears burning. His stomach drops even more, and he shivers involuntarily as he stares at the motionless wooden figures in their colourful uniforms. They are all wearing matching broad red grins. They look kind of scary. Fitz’s father got him a few of these for his birthday once. _That’s what proper young boys play with_ ; he’d said. _Not these stupid plush toys._ And he took Fitz’s plush monkey away. Fitz never found it again. It was the third one.

Fitz hated the tin soldiers. He didn’t want to pretend to shoot someone or to start a war. War was horrible. He saw it on tv and it made him so upset, he couldn’t stop crying for ages. His mother calmed him and told him he was being very empathic, which was wonderful but also meant a lot of pain. Fitz didn’t really understand her at that time. Now he does. And he knows it was one of the reasons, his father left in the middle of a night, when Fitz was ten. He still hates the stupid tin soldiers, Fitz notices and turns away, rather looking at some old books coated in several layers of dust. He suddenly feels watched and asks himself, if the young woman is looking at him, wondering about him and his undoubtedly strange behaviour.

He takes a random book, not even reading the title, and decides to buy it. Just to prove he’s not a total creep.

“Hello,” he says when he reaches the counter, trying to smile and hopes it doesn’t look like a grimace.

The young woman looks up from her book again. She musters him and Fitz is relieved, when a small smile spreads on her face, making her eyes sparkling. God. She’s so beautiful. And she’s reading a book on chemistry, he realizes with a sudden hint of happiness. Maybe they study something similar?

Oh if only he could ask her …

The woman takes his book, looking for the price.

 _Talk to her_ , a voice inside Fitz’s head mutters angrily. _She’s right there. Bloody finally talk to her and stop being so thick!_

But the words sound stupid now in his head … She’s going to stare at him. Maybe laugh. God. He couldn’t stand her laughing at him.

He reaches into his bag and feels his face warming up rapidly, when he realizes he forgot his purse at home. Oh no. No, no, no …

She is looking at him curiously, her face slightly tilted. Her eyes are the colour of warm honey and … Fuck.

He has to talk to her now, he has to …

“I’m sorry, I … Uh. I … I don’t have my purse with me,” he murmurs, knowing he is probably red like a tomato.

“Oh. Well. I can keep the book here, until you return with your purse,” the woman suggests.

“Hmm. That is … Thank you. That is very kind of you,” Fitz says. He thinks he might never return when he leaves the shop now. This is way too embarrassing … It’s okay. She doesn’t know him. He can walk out and never come back and she will wonder, but he won’t know. Or … Or he could talk to her. Tell her the truth.

And for some reason, he manages to be brave for once in his life.

“I … Actually, I didn’t want that book. I didn’t even look at the title. I … I come back here, because of you.”

“Oh,” the woman makes, blinking. Her eyes widen a bit.

Fitz starts to feel a bit dizzy. He’s sweating. He can’t believe he’s actually talking to her. “Yeah. Well … I’m sorry I probably seem like a total weirdo. Uh. I wanted to ask you out. For a, a coffee. Or tea. There’s a nice place just a corner away. But … I couldn’t ask. Yeah.” He swallows and lowers his head, to not have to look at her. Just in case, she’s going to laugh now. He’s used to being laughed at. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you wondered and … I didn’t even say hello and all. Sorry for being such an idiot.”

“It’s alright,” she says warmly, and he looks up, surprised. She’s smiling. “I was wondering indeed. I wanted to ask you what this is about. But … I couldn’t talk to you either. I’m … shy.” She shrugs.

Shy. Her?! Fitz can’t imagine. But there is a slight blush spreading on her face now. The colour of cherry blossoms. Oh.

“I’m Jemma,” she says quickly, offering a hand. “Jemma Simmons.”

“Fitz. Just Fitz,” he says, shaking her hand. Her skin warm and soft. “You’re studying chemistry?” He asks, nodding at her book.

“Oh. Biochemistry,” she says. “But I’ve just started.”

“I’m doing engineering. And I’ve just started too.”

“Oh! Then it’s actually quite possible we have a class together someday!” Jemma says, and she actually sounds excited, which makes Fitz’s heart beat faster. This is going so much better than he could have ever imagined. Talking to her is ... easy. 

Fitz clears his throat and asks, “Would you like a cup of tea and a piece of cake, Jemma?”

She smiles brightly. “I’d like that, Fitz.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can still send me prompts for my Fic Advent Calendar! :) Here on [tumblr](https://ready-to-kick-some-ass.tumblr.com/post/189406905407/verobird-christmas-prompts-some-i-made-up)


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